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New Garmin Cx Models


Cowboy59

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Actually, I think it's since these have been so extensively discussed recently and everyone is frustrated with the inability to search, it's just not been deemed worth rehashing yet again.

 

See NeoGeo and Sputnik57's FAQ or the yahoogroups for those models for the difference between 60C and 60CS. The sensor kit is the difference.

 

Though it's not made it to the FAQ as they haven'be been officially announced yet, X series adds removable memory and a better receiver circuit.

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Both units have a 64 mb trans flash memeory card and an upgraded quad-helix antenna.

 

I'm pretty sure that the GPSMAP 60C and the GPSMAP 60Cs always had the quad-helix antenna. The only difference in reception would be that the CX and the CSX now take advantage of the new SiRFstar chipset for increased sensitivity.

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:D Just received may latest Cabelas catalog today (Spring Master Catalog) and it shows the new Garmin 60 and 76 Cx models as did the earlier Bass Pro shop catalog. The unit must be getting very near release.

 

Looks like a unit to be had for sure.

I'm sure that these units are probably for real now with more than one source talking about them. my problem is with the Jan 10th release date that i have heard claimed. before garmin released the new rino 520/530's they had info on there website at least a month before hand. i have looked at garmins site and have found no info at all, so it seems that unless they changed there practice of advertising new units these may be farther off than we all hope.

 

if garmin is listening, please post some info, since we all know these are coming!

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Both units have a 64 mb trans flash memeory card and an upgraded quad-helix antenna.

 

I'm pretty sure that the GPSMAP 60C and the GPSMAP 60Cs always had the quad-helix antenna. The only difference in reception would be that the CX and the CSX now take advantage of the new SiRFstar chipset for increased sensitivity.

I believe the SirfStar III uses a a patch antenna so if it is true that Garmin is switching (probably true since they made a deal with the mfr recently to use their chipset), the physical shape of the new model may be different. Of course, these are all guesses.

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I believe the SirfStar III uses a a patch antenna so if it is true that Garmin is switching (probably true since they made a deal with the mfr recently to use their chipset), the physical shape of the new model may be different.  Of course, these are all guesses.

I don't think the type of antenna matters to the SiRF chip.

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This is correct. All the matters is that the antenna is an electricel match to the frequency of the GPS. Patch or Quad, the SIRF chip set does not care.

 

Edit to add:

 

I check the cabelas web site, they say the the 60CX has a Quad antenna. But their web site also says that the 60CX will store 1,000 waypoints. I would think that the Trans Flex Memory card would allow just about an unlimite number of waypoints.

Maybe it's a typo by the add person at Cabelas. You would think that Garmin would have posted the specs by this time. THe X series is not exaclty a big secret.

From Cabelas web site.

Comes with a 64MB TransFlash data card for additional map storage. Has enough room for 1,000 waypoints and 20 reversible routes.

Could it be the Memory card will only store maps?

Edited by JohnnyVegas
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I don't think the type of antenna matters to the SiRF chip.

 

That may be true. But I understand the III is so sensitive, the quad is not necessary. The III I have in a CF configuraation is a patch. While Garmin may adapt the III to the 60 with the quad because that's what they have available now, future products will eliminate the bump/quad as unnecessaary. At least that sounds like a pretty decent theory. But I've been wrong before :lol:

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I've seen a few places that say that the legend Cx will come with a 32MB trans flash card. Does this mean that is the biggest that it will support? Could I put a 512MB card in there? Perhaps we won't know until Garmin releases the product. I'm also wondereing if City Navigator would be a better choice than City Select, being that Garmin will aparrently discontinue CS in favor of CN soon anyway...

What do you think the crystal ball says?

-4ist

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I've seen a few places that say that the legend Cx will come with a 32MB trans flash card. Does this mean that is the biggest that it will support? Could I put a 512MB card in there?

Based on other devices, I'd assume you could use as large a memory card as you can afford. Some devices have a limit as to how much memory they can access, but that's not too common.

 

Perhaps we won't know until Garmin releases the product.

Exactly right.

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They've been announced:

http://biz.yahoo.com/prnews/060103/cgtu020.html?.v=36

 

So the X stands for eXtreme  :o

Wow - 'prenews' from Yahoo, that's great news. ;)

 

And if 'first quarter of 2006' turns out to be true we are in for a big treat just around the corner.

 

Still can't find anything on garmin.com, but I guess they are busy putting the final touches on the promotional release as we speak.

 

Time to spam my local retailer. <_<

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Did some digging like you did here:

http://www.garmin.com/products/gpsmap76csx/

 

http://www.garmin.com/products/gpsmap76cx/

 

Would be strange if they killed the internal memory that was used for maps, so you could only store maps on the memory card.

 

Would have been nice to be able to store waypoint and track files in the unused internal memory

Edited by GOT GPS?
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Yeah it looks like the internal memory is what is used for the waypoints. The product page for the 60Cx series says can store 1000 waypoints. The page for the LedgendCx/VistaCx doesn't list any info about the number of waypoints, but does say that it is "loaded with the same popular features found in the eTrex Vista C/ eTrex Ledgend C" so I am guessing the limit on the waypoints as well.

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Yeah it looks like the internal memory is what is used for the waypoints. The product page for the 60Cx series says can store 1000 waypoints. The page for the LedgendCx/VistaCx doesn't list any info about the number of waypoints, but does say that it is "loaded with the same popular features found in the eTrex Vista C/ eTrex Ledgend C" so I am guessing the limit on the waypoints as well.

Why limit the GPS to 1000 waypoints when it uses a memory card? It just does not make any sence. <_<

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Why limit the GPS to 1000 waypoints when it uses a memory card? It just does not make any sence.

My guess? Risk management.

 

Take the existing units and search and replace the receiver with Sirf. Take the flash chip that holds the maps (maybe it holds wpts, trks, and routes, too, but for performance reasons I'll bet that those are in the same chip as the code) and move it to transflash. Tell the firmware guys to not mess with things and make the menus and feature set work exactly like the existing units so you don't have to redocument and re internationalize. You're done. It's a small project easily handled by the sustaining engineering department.

 

Yes, they COULD implement bank switching of waypoints, the equivalent of "card utilities' in the Meridian/Explorists, the ability to read these things in external writers and so on (and it's not totally clear that they haven't or won't) but there's extra development cost in those things.

 

 

Why limit the lower end units to 500? Product differentiation. Now that you can jack a 512MB card in a LegendCX "more map memory' is no longer a reason to buy a 60 or a 76.

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Why limit the GPS to 1000 waypoints when it uses a memory card? It just does not make any sence. <_<

It's actually consistent with the way Garmin's current firmware works for the corresponding non 'x' models and also for other Garmin models that use memory cards. The waypoints/routes/tracklogs have always been stored in a separate memory device from the maps (e.g. the 60c used a 64 MB internal device for the maps; 56 MB downloadable plus 8 MB basemap; and the firmware/waypoints/routes/tracks are stored in a second internal memory chip). Garmin's other models with memory cards, the eMap and assorted StreetPilot models, have never allowed waypoints/routes/tracks to be stored on the removable memory card.

 

So I'm not at all surprised that these new models don't have that capability. But I am hopeful that Garmin will consider a firmware upgrade in the future to remove this limitation given the competitive pressure from Magellan and Lowrance. It may also require changes in the way MapSource downloads maps to the units.

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Here is my question: how well would a new 60x or Legend X with Sirf work compared to an existing 60c using an external antenna? I use my 60c in heavy tree canopy in the Pacific Northwest while running trails. Maintaining satellite lock is very challenging, even with an antenna (Gilson). I would gladly buy a new X unit if it can be expected to outperform my 60c/Gilson combination.

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I met a Garmin marketing person who happened to have one of these. He let me handle it for a few minutes and answered a few questions. The only other thing that can be saved to the card is the track log(which means we no longer lose track data by saving it to the card). Nice units, only 1 significant upgrade with the card for storing more maps. Would have been nice to see some other changes. Maybe other units are in the works that will have some different upgrades.

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Here is my question: how well would a new 60x or Legend X with Sirf work compared to an existing 60c using an external antenna? I use my 60c in heavy tree canopy in the Pacific Northwest while running trails. Maintaining satellite lock is very challenging, even with an antenna (Gilson). I would gladly buy a new X unit if it can be expected to outperform my 60c/Gilson combination.

From the Garmin service tech I talked to the Sirf chip will make acquiring much more reliable and fast. In a demonstration of another product that uses the Sirf chip we were not able to power up the unit and switch to the satellite screen before the unit acquired a 3d lock, very impressive and we were inside the main lobby of Garmin. I would guess that with the new 60cx you wouldn't need the external antenna, and would still have great reception.

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I don't see a big reason to upgrade from my current GPSMAP 76CS. I simply can't justify the expense to replace a unit that works great and does everything I need. Sure, if I didn't already have this unit I'd likely purchase the "x" unit but since I already have this one I don't see the need.

 

Ok, I admit I'd like to try the SiRF receiver and I'd like the memory cards but still.... This thing cost a fortune and I just can't see spening that much again for the new features.

Edited by Thrak
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I don't think the type of antenna matters to the SiRF chip.

 

That may be true. But I understand the III is so sensitive, the quad is not necessary. The III I have in a CF configuraation is a patch. While Garmin may adapt the III to the 60 with the quad because that's what they have available now, future products will eliminate the bump/quad as unnecessaary. At least that sounds like a pretty decent theory. But I've been wrong before :lol:

The antenna is always part of any receiver. Anytime you use a better antenna you are going to improve the reception of a receiver. You can build the best receiver circuit in the world, but without a good antenna it is not going to work as well as it could. Sure Garmin could have put out a new design an replaced the 60 and 76 series in order to use a patch antenna, but chances are those would not have worked as well as the 60 and 76s.

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Here is my question: how well would a new 60x or Legend X with Sirf work compared to an existing 60c using an external antenna?  I use my 60c in heavy tree canopy in the Pacific Northwest while running trails.  Maintaining satellite lock is very challenging, even with an antenna (Gilson).  I would gladly buy a new X unit if it can be expected to outperform my 60c/Gilson combination.

From the Garmin service tech I talked to the Sirf chip will make acquiring much more reliable and fast. In a demonstration of another product that uses the Sirf chip we were not able to power up the unit and switch to the satellite screen before the unit acquired a 3d lock, very impressive and we were inside the main lobby of Garmin. I would guess that with the new 60cx you wouldn't need the external antenna, and would still have great reception.

Not to discredit your experience but I think that Garmin has repeaters in their buildings so that GPS works indoors too, so that 3D lock in the lobby of Garmin HQ might not be the best realworld example :lol:

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Well, do they have repeaters in my house? Cus my cousin's SiRF 3 gps locks inside my home. After seeing it in action I can safely say that SiRF 3 makes the old Garmin chipset look like a blind man gropping in the dark.

 

SiRF3 is super fast and will lock in the most unbelievable locations. You don't even need to take it out of your backpack to have a continous lock. Do you get what I'm saying?!??

Edited by jcc123
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Well, do they have repeaters in my house? Cus my cousin's SiRF 3 gps locks inside my home. After seeing it in action I can safely say that SiRF 3 makes the old Garmin chipset look like a blind man gropping in the dark.

 

SiRF3 is super fast and will lock in the most unbelievable locations. You don't even need to take it out of your backpack to have a continous lock. Do you get what I'm saying?!??

Did you get a full 3D lock in the time it took you to go to the satellite screen?

I was not trying to discredit the poster nor the brilliance of the SiRF III chip, just saying that Garmin's buildings are equiped so that GPS works inside them.

 

Do you get what I'm saying? ;)

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GPS repeaters are common in aircraft maintenance hangers so that technicians can test GPS related systems w/o having to take the aircraft outside, which is not practical a lot of times during maintenance. The position accuracy would suffer using a repeater as the signal is no longer a straight line from the satellite to the GPS antenna, but just getting some kind of position is all that's required for maintenance purposes.

 

GPS does seem to work pretty well in hangers with wood roofs.

Edited by klenger
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My bluetooth sirf III receiver has no issues locking in a min or two while sitting at my kitchen table in the middle of my apt (13 sotries and I am on level 3 in the middle). Granted it only locks onto 4-5 sats indoors it gets almost 3 times that outdoors. While driving it sits in the glove box and never "burps."

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Personally, I think Garmin has screwed themselves with the Legend/Vista Cx. I can not see why anyone would put out the extra cash for 8 MB more memory and nothing else. If it had the siRF chip, I'd buy one tomorrow. Memory is OK, but for a small handheld, it does not matter much.

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